Google on Wednesday released its official Gmail application for iOS, but quickly pulled the software after a bug was discovered.

The official Gmail application was briefly available on the App Store on Wednesday as a free download. It's a universal application compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

The arrival of the software on Wednesday was officially announced by Google on the company's official Gmail blog. But soon after, it disappeared from the App Store, and Google provided an update explaining that there was an error.

"Unfortunately, it contained a bug which broke notifications and caused users to see an error message when first opening the app," the company said. "We've removed the app while we correct the problem, and we're working to bring you a new version soon. Everyone who's already installed the app can continue to use it."

Before the software was pulled, Google provided a rundown of features included in the new Gmail application for iOS. They were divided into three categories: speed, efficiency and touch.
Speed
Get alerted to new messages with push notifications and sounds
Find an email in seconds with search across your entire inbox
Autocomplete email addresses from your Gmail contacts or select from your devices address book
Upload photos with a click using the new attachment button in compose view
On iPad, navigate your inbox and read your mail simultaneously with split view
Efficiency
Focus on your important messages first with Priority Inbox
Quickly scan countless emails on the same subject with threaded conversations
Organize your mail by archiving, labelling, starring, deleting and reporting spam
Touch
Weve also optimized the interface so you can perform common actions in Gmail with the lightest touch:
Pull down your inbox to rapidly refresh if youre eager for new mail
Swipe right to view your labels without ever leaving your inbox
Swiftly scroll through dozens of emails just by sliding your finger

The release of a Gmail application is significant not only because of the popularity of Google's free e-mail service, but also because Apple has allowed software that competes with its own native iOS Mail application. Originally, software that replicated functionality already available in iOS, including e-mail clients, was not allowed on the App Store.

Rumors of an official Gmail application for iOS first cropped up on Tuesday. Previously, Google provided users with a Web interface for Gmail on iOS, while Apple's native Mail application included built-in support for Gmail.

Apple's so paranoid about accusations of being too slow in the approval process,
they're fast-tracking dogshit like this.

For shame, Apple, for shame ....

ON THE OTHER HAND, perhaps Apple, seeing what utter fail this is, let it go through anyway
so as too afford GOOGLE unretractable embarrassment.

1) Google removed their own webcode-wrapped app, not Apple. It's possible Apple's testing didn't suffer encounter any bugs or errors; that any lack of functionality was intended by Google. Google isn't exactly known for crossing their 't's and dotting their 'i's as noted by the app's haphazard use of both Airal and Helvetica.

3) Apple gets pounded for being too slow but when a company pulls their own app they get pounded, too? Does that seem fair? I'd think Apple's biggest concern with vetting apps is protecting their device users from being exposed to any dangerous code, not making sure the developers of 500k+ App Store apps are getting their hands held and their bottoms wiped.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

ON THE OTHER HAND, perhaps Apple, seeing what utter fail this is, let it go through anyway
so as too afford GOOGLE unretractable embarrassment.

Thats my suspicion. The alert on launch was conspicuous, and clearly meant that the notification server was not set up properly ( with the wrong profile). Apple could not have missed it. It happened every launch. No bedroom team would expect to make that mistake, but whatever. Apple must have seen it - why release it?

1) Google removed their own webcode-wrapped app, not Apple. It's possible Apple's testing didn't suffer encounter any bugs or errors; that any lack of functionality was intended by Google. Google isn't exactly known for crossing their 't's and dotting their 'i's as noted by the app's haphazard use of both Airal and Helvetica.

I downloaded it when it was available in the App store and have used on my iP4s a dozen or more times with no issues whatsoever. There are a few features missing, such as ability to handle multiple accounts, but it is already far superior to the web based version on the iPhone.

I downloaded it when it was available in the App store and have used on my iP4s a dozen or more times with no issues whatsoever. There are a few features missing, such as ability to handle multiple accounts, but it is already far superior to the web based version on the iPhone.

1) Why? Aren't the PSN maintained by each app company and then filtered through Apple? Perhaps this service was assume inactive. Maybe having parts of an app not functional *especially for one just wrapping UIWebViewwe in the testing for dangerous bugs is par for the course for new apps. I'll need an argument why after a half-billion approved apps Apple would need to do the work for developers releasing free app to a point it cost them money.

2) People should be happy Apple is allowing 3rd-party mail clients on the App Store, not upset with Apple because of mistakes Google made.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

I thought it was a mess, ignoring the alert on launch issue ( which meant it would never badge new mail). Sending a html email to myself, it was sized far bigger than the iPhone screen - i.e. it scrolled about 4 times the width of the iPhone screen. Maybe this was a 4.3 issue.

1) Why? Aren't the PSN maintained by each app company and then filtered through Apple? Perhaps this service was assume inactive. Maybe having parts of an app not functional —*especially for one just wrapping UIWebViewwe — in the testing for dangerous bugs is par for the course for new apps. I'll need an argument why after a half-billion approved apps Apple would need to do the work for developers releasing free app to a point it cost them money.

2) People should be happy Apple is allowing 3rd-party mail clients on the App Store, not upset with Apple because of mistakes Google made.

Well, when you set a profile for your app with notifications you do need to set a specific type of profile, linking to your app's info.plist identifier ( com.yourcompany.appname) and some other magic to do with entitlements; and only then will notifications work. Its possible however, that Apple was testing against a test notification server, and the live server is talked to only when live.

I don't know. I know that every person who launched this app today got the bug, and there was an alert explaining there was a bug, and it was a serious bug. Since a mail app without notifications or badging is quite useless.

I honestly don't think you know what is going on. This is a discussion for the completely buggy GMail app on iOS, just pulled. Which doesn't tie in to google voice, texting and whatnots. as you claimed, and I refuted.

I honestly don't think you know what is going on. This is a discussion for the completely buggy GMail app on iOS, just pulled. Which doesn't tie in to google voice, texting and whatnots. as you claimed, and I refuted.

Honestly it works so well. The email client sucks on my Vibrant (Samsung's email app). It barely loads the full message. My 4s works SOOOOO well with email. I just wish my phone would work with my google calendar.

API is fine for me for now. As long as it works. Plus, I actually hate gmail aside from the integration. It's a terrible mail client.

As per usual, people are missing OBVIOUS pointt. *
There is one reason & one reason only this happened ....
Apple let it go through to humiliate GOOGLE.

In the 4 year history of iOS, I have never, ever, ever seen a developer pulling it's own app hours after it's release. *
Oh sure -- Apple has taken down apps immediately for various & sundry reasons, but not the developers themselves.
So something like this, especially for a humongous tech name like GOOGLE, is absolutely mortifying.

Apple says time & again that the NUMBER ONE REASON why they reject/pull an app
is*because the app doesn't do what it says it does ....
So they see that this doesn't work, but put it in the App Store anyway?
C'mon ....

"Technology Alone Is Not Enough -- Married With The Liberal Arts & The Humanities,It Yields Us The Results That Make Our Hearts Sing." - Steven P. Jobs

Apple says time & again that the NUMBER ONE REASON why they reject/pull an app
is*because the app doesn't do what it says it does ....
so they see that this doesn't work, but they put it in the App Store anyway?
C'mon ....

I'm under the impression Google is the one that had the app pulled.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

Update: 11/2/11: Earlier today we launched a new Gmail app for iOS. Unfortunately, it contained a bug which broke notifications and caused users to see an error message when first opening the app. We’ve removed the app while we correct the problem, and we’re working to bring you a new version soon. Everyone who’s already installed the app can continue to use it.

By its own words, Google pulled the app from the App Store, not Apple.

As per usual, people are missing OBVIOUS pointt. *
There is one reason & one reason only this happened ....
Apple let it go through to humiliate GOOGLE.

In the 4 year history of iOS, I have never, ever, ever seen a developer pulling it's own app hours after it's release. *
Oh sure -- Apple has taken down apps immediately for various & sundry reasons, but not the developers themselves.
So something like this, especially for a humongous tech name like GOOGLE, is absolutely mortifying.

Apple says time & again that the NUMBER ONE REASON why they reject/pull an app
is*because the app doesn't do what it says it does ....
So they see that this doesn't work, but put it in the App Store anyway?
C'mon ....

Wait a minute. You're saying it's Apples fault that Google engineered and put out a steaming of poo!?

Put the responsibility where it belongs. Certainly you don't hear Google blaming Apple.